Baby Brother
by stjimmyjazz
Summary: Cooper Anderson has always wanted a baby brother. When Blaine's born, he promises himself that he'll be the best big brother ever. But ten years is quite the age gap, and sometimes life isn't exactly fair. A series of related vignettes.
1. Chapter 1

Cooper Anderson has always wanted a younger sibling. Every evening when he was reminded to say his prayers before bedtime, he'd pray for his mother and father to have another child.

Cooper is eight when his mom and dad tell him that his prayers were answered. For the next few months, his evening prayers are devoted to hoping that it's a brother.

He's exactly nine years and six months older to the day than his new baby brother. When he's sat down to hold the newborn, he's momentarily terrified he'll drop the little boy. But the moment Cooper is handed him, entertained by the short curls peaking out from underneath the little blue hat, he is absolutely enamored with his brother.

A ten year age gap would seem like it would make it hard for the two brothers to get along, but it's actually quite the opposite. Parents ever busy, Cooper's the one to watch Blaine take his first awkward toddling steps across the top of his own bed one afternoon. At the age of thirteen, he spends his spare weekly allowance on a miniature football so he could start teaching Blaine the importance of a man knowing how to play a sport. When Cooper gets his license at the age of sixteen, the first thing he wants to do is take his little brother for ice cream- even though it's February.

At eighteen, Cooper gets accepted to UC Berkeley, and how could he refuse? Blaine throws himself into his brother's arms, overjoyed for his big brother. But the closer they get to Cooper's move out date, Blaine admits that he'll miss his brother. Cooper can't do much except promise to call as often as possible, and say he'll be home for Christmas and summer vacation. He doesn't exactly want to leave the eight-year-old; Blaine's tiny for his age, and just a little too smart for his own good, details not lost on the older kids at school that like to pick on the younger children. There had been plenty of times when Blaine has tottered off the school bus at the end of the day, his cloths dusty and torn from being pushed around at recess. Despite Blaine's protests, Cooper would always sit him up on the kitchen counter, pull out the first aid kit and bandage the scrapes on Blaine's knees and palms. The fact that their mother would probably never do this for her youngest child pulled at Cooper's heart.

As much as he wants to, college is busy and difficult for Cooper. He calls Blaine as often as possible, but their conversations have become few and far between. The summer between his freshman and sophomore year, Cooper works full-time and Blaine goes to soccer sleep away camp. But the time they do have free is spent together. Cooper doesn't want to admit it, but he really likes when Blaine has his ridiculous group of friends come over and they want to hang out with "Blaine's awesome older brother". Let it never be said that he doesn't like kids.

For the next three years, their relationship happens in short bursts: a couple of months here and there with the occasional week of a vacation. Every time he sees his brother, Cooper can't help but lament that he's missing so much of his brother growing up.

At twenty-two, fresh out of college, Cooper makes his big move to New York City for a new job offer. Blaine's excited, and plans "super awesome trips to the city to visit his big brother" that Cooper is all too willing to entertain. Blaine's first cell phone means that Cooper has to switch to an unlimited texting plan to accommodate his brother. He's not going to complain though; if he can't see his brother all the time, he's absolutely willing to dole out some extra money a month to make sure his brother's alright. Their parents have taken to working longer hours, and there are often times that Blaine comes home after school to an empty house.

When Blaine turns fourteen, Cooper calls his brother to explain that he won't be home for Christmas this year, but he'll be there for Thanksgiving, and was that okay? On Wednesday night over dinner, Cooper teases Blaine and asks if there are any cute girls in his class. Blaine turns beat red and locks his eyes on his peas and carrots. It isn't until Saturday night, long after their parents have gone to sleep, that Blaine interrupts their movie to admit that he's gay, and no, their parents don't know yet. Cooper's silent for a moment, completely blind-sided. Blaine squirms in the silence, and starts to stutter an explanation or an apology or something else that Cooper can't quite pick up on. He sits up and shuffles across the couch, pulling Blaine into a bone-crushing hug. Cooper says he doesn't care: Blaine is still his baby brother, no matter who he loves.

A rare telephone call from his mother comes two months later and she mentioned in passing that Blaine had landed himself in the hospital. Cooper calls his brother next, the bottom dropping out of his stomach when Blaine tells him what happened. By the end of the phone call, Cooper's flight home is booked for the next day. All he can do is sit on the side of Blaine's bed and hold his baby brother in his arms as his sobs soak the material of Cooper's shirt.

That summer, their father tries to build a car with Blaine. Cooper sees through his father's motives immediately. Blaine mentions in passing that he's still having problems at school. Cooper does some research and sends him a link to a few schools in Ohio that Blaine may want to consider.

At twenty-five, Cooper makes it home for Christmas. He's blown away by his little brother: three months at Dalton has changed him completely. He's chopped his curly hair and slicks it back; gone are Blaine's baggy jeans and graphic tees and overly bubbly personality. The boy that greets Cooper at the door dresses everyday in nice pants and button down shirts; instead of wanting to talk about the Buckeyes and comic books, Blaine wants to discuss world economics and the firm Cooper works for. He's a little unsettled at first by this new gentleman in his brother's body, but Blaine's puppy-like personality always has a way of leaking out around Cooper.

Three days after Christmas, they go out for a drive together, thinking of maybe going to the mall or grabbing a bite to eat. Cooper sits in the passenger seat, letting newly-licensed Blaine show off, starts to discuss Dalton. It's good, Blaine tells him; he's joined the show choir and classes are harder, but nothing too difficult. Copper asks if Blaine has been looking into colleges yet. Blaine worries his lip between his teeth and replies that he hadn't yet. Cooper tells him not to worry: he hadn't taking his college tests until late junior year and maybe they could look at colleges together this summer. Had Blaine considered New York at all? Or would he head out west like Cooper? What was he even considering going into?

Cooper hadn't noticed until then that Blaine was gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were turning white, nor that his eyes were beginning to brim with tears. Brow furrowed, Cooper asks what's wrong. Blaine pulls off to the side of the road, trying to collect himself. Coop places a gentle hand on Blaine's shoulder, and that's when the dam breaks.

Blaine had never admitted it and their parents were to embarrassed to inform their eldest son, but he had essentially failed his freshman year. Yes, they had grown apart a bit in the past few years, but they were always honest with each other. Cooper was completely shocked. His brother, though Blaine would never admit to it, was easily at the top of his class and always had been. Learning always just came naturally to Blaine while Cooper always had to put a ridiculous amount of effort into school.

He didn't want to ask, but he had to know: why had Blaine been left back? He sort of wish he hadn't asked. Blaine had informed Cooper last year that after his hospital stay, school had been difficult socially. That's all Blaine had said. But now, here in the safety of his car, Blaine spilled everything.

When he got back from winter break, still on crutches and bruises only just starting to fade, the other kids had been ruthless. Being on crutches just made it easier for his classmates to push him around and call him filthy names. Blaine had approached the faculty for help, but they said there was simply nothing they could do without proof.

What made it even worse was how quickly Blaine's friends had dropped him when he came out. If memory served him right, Blaine had been friends with the same group of guys since elementary school. Just like that, they abandoned him.

So Blaine was left to deal with it all on his own. He had gone from the school enigma, the boy that literally everyone knew and liked, to the outcast. He was lonely and depressed, unmotivated to do anything at the school where he was the social leaper. He let his grades plummet.

And their parents. _Their parents_. They had done nothing to help Blaine. They didn't even notice anything was wrong until they were both called into school to discuss Blaine's grades. The guidance councilor had barely gotten through her prepared statement before their mother and father had turned on Blaine. Their parents only agreed to sending him to Dalton after learning that the name of the school looked wonderful enough on college resumes to make up for the past year. And just like that, Blaine's fourteenth year was stricken from their memory completely.

All of this was said through hitching sobs, Blaine hugging his arms and curling into himself pitifully.

Awkwardly, Cooper leaned over the center console, and pulled Blaine into a one-and–half armed hug. Blaine practically buried his face into his brother's chest and cried.

He had no idea how long they sat like that, but if the twinge in his side indicated anything, it had been a while. It didn't matter though: Cooper would let his brother have this moment right now, simply because there was no one else that would do this for Blaine. He sat there, wedged between the two front seats, just holding Blaine and rocking slightly back and forth. He thought of all of the times that they had been in this position before. The number unsettled Cooper. He didn't want to think about how the future might bring them right back to this same position. Life was truly unfair.

"It's okay," Cooper whispered, his lips against the crown of Blaine's head. "Big brother's here."

Cooper isn't able to make it home much after that. Work picks up, he meets a nice girl, and New York City is just pulling him in a few too many directions at once to go back to Ohio. Blaine's able to come out to visit once for a long weekend when he's seventeen, but they're so wrapped up in playing tourist, they're hardly anytime for a deep and meaningful conversation between brothers.

But the following year, Cooper's able to push a few dates around and visit Ohio in late winter- he wants to inform his family of his plans to marry his girlfriend. Right away though, he notices there's something different about Blaine. He's still like a gentleman straight out of an old Hollywood movie, but he just seems happier. Happier than he's been in a long time. He laughs much easier, he's on his phone all day texting, and he just carries himself differently. It isn't until two days into his trip, when Blaine comes down in the evening dressed impeccably, that Cooper decides to call Blaine out on this change.

He blushes and murmurs something unintelligible. Cooper thinks he hears the word "date" in there somewhere. He's never seen his brother this flustered, but it seems to be a nice change. Blaine uncharacteristically leaves the room and dashes back upstairs.

The doorbell rings shortly thereafter. Cooper answers it, finding a surprised looking young man on the stoop asking for Blaine. His little brother storms down the stairs and greets the young man. Blaine takes in the confused looks plastered on the other's faces and introduces them.

Blaine has a boyfriend. And they've been together for a year.

Cooper watches as Blaine takes Kurt's hand as they run out the door, late for their reservation. Feeling a little creepy, he watches them from the bay window in the living room. Right before they part to get into the car, they kiss quickly by the light of the driveway light.

Cooper can't help but smile for his baby brother.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I couldn't resist retuning to this story. So here's a little one-shot that was written in a tumblr ask box, cleaned up and brought here.

The hour and 40 minute flight had done nothing to calm Cooper's nerves. In his rush out the door that morning, he forgot to even bring a book to read. Instead, his mind wondered to dangerous places as he steadily bites his nails to nubs.

When he finally, _finally, _reaches the hospital, it's all he can do not to run into the room he was directed to. Sitting alone and bandaged in the sterile hospital bed is his little brother. Cooper rushes to Blaine's bed and envelopes him in his arms.

"It's not fair, Coop," Blaine sobs into his brother's shirt. "It was just a crummy dance."

Cooper can't think of anything to say or do except squeeze Blaine a little tighter to his chest. Cooper's wary of the IV and tries not to jostle his broken ankle. He doesn't know how long they sit like that, but eventually Blaine simply cries himself out. The parts of Blaine's face that aren't bruised or bandaged are red and splotchy; his body may have run out of tears, but Blaine doesn't look any better.

"Sorry about your shirt," Blaine murmurs, sitting back, his voice horse.

"It's okay," Cooper says, sincerely. And it's true; if crying into a shirt for a few minutes helps Blaine feel any better, Cooper would gladly offer up his entire closet to his brother. "What can I do for you?" Cooper asks, legitimately curious, after a quite moment filled with Blaine's hitching breath.

What do you do when your little brother has been beaten into the hospital? For going to a dance? With a boy? Bile rises Cooper's throat when he thinks back to two days ago when Blaine excitedly Skyped him and asked his older brother's opinion on which tie he should wear. Blaine shrugged.

"You want me to go beat them up for you?" Cooper tries, forcing a joking laugh through. Blaine looks at him with his big puppy dog eyes, still bloodshot, and shakes his head no.

"Sorry," Cooper says. "That wasn't exactly appropriate." Cooper sneaks a look at Blaine's torso. His hospital gown may be covering up most of him, but Blaine can't hide the angry scraps on his hands, nor the stitches running down his arm. It's so much worse than Blaine had admitted to last night on the phone.

"How long are you here for?" Blaine asks, shifting awkwardly under his brother's scrutinizing. Cooper frowns.

"I leave late tonight. I needed to see you." And it's true. There's absolutely nothing he can do from New York to help his little brother; the least he can do is visit Blaine for a few hours and try to show his support and that there is nothing wrong with Blaine. There's nothing wrong with him and screw anyone who thinks otherwise.

"What do I do, Cooper?" Blaine asks. He's eerily calm in his statement, but his eyes have the deer-in-the-headlights look about them. "I have to go back there and see them all."

Cooper never had a problem in school. He was never bullied, was surrounded by friends, and had the constant praise and support from his parents. He bit his lip thinking. He's literally the worst person to ask for advice right now.

Cooper gently places a hand on Blaine's shoulder. "Courage, kiddo." And that's all the advice he has for Blaine.


	3. Chapter 3

It's a weird moment for Cooper when he walks in on Blaine in the bathroom. No, it's not awkward like that time he walked into Blaine's room without knocking a few years ago and inadvertently interrupted his 'me time'. It's weird because it suddenly hits Cooper that Blaine is practically an adult.

Blaine's just started applying shaving cream to his cheeks with a badger-hair brush that Cooper doesn't remember ever seeing before.

"Need the bathroom?" he asks, putting a pause to his action.

"Not if you don't mind me joining you," Cooper says. Blaine shakes his head, spreading the lather down his throat. They stand together at the side-by-side sinks, sharing the large mirror.

"_I'm not letting you outside like that," Cooper states one morning, watching his brother over his toast. Really though, it's not just any morning: it's the morning after The Conversation. Yes, even in Cooper's mind it's capitalized. _

_Blaine momentarily glances down at his appearance. It's nothing out of the ordinary for him at fourteen: loose jeans, tee shirt, and a hoodie are perfectly acceptable clothing choices for meeting up with his friends on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. "What's wrong with this?" he asks, uncharacteristically defensive. _

_Cooper's always been able to see straight through Blaine and this is no different. After his confession the evening before, Blaine is terrified that his older brother's opinion of him has changed literally overnight. _

_Cooper stands up and makes his way over to Blaine. "Look up for a sec," he says. There's a moment's hesitation before he complies. Cooper runs a finger across Blaine's Adam's apple. Hmm, that wasn't there last time. _

"_What are you-"_

"_You have a little bitch 'stache coming in and you're all gross down here," Cooper says, poking at Blaine's throat. The words seem harsh, but it's the way the two of them operate: honesty that sometimes borders on brutal. "You need to start shaving."_

Cooper simply splashes water across his face before squirting his own shaving cream from the can in his travel case. He chuckles a little bit when Blaine pulls out a straight razor.

"Are you serious?" Cooper laughs joking as he scrapes his own disposable against his jaw.

"Completely," Blaine deadpans while sliding his razor gently down his cheek. "I found it in the attic while moving a few boxes of your shit up there." Both of their tones are casual and light; this is just the usual banter of the Anderson brothers.

"I'll bet you have a strop too," Cooper says, running his razor under the flowing water for a moment.

"Right under the sink," Blaine counters back immediately.

_Blaine stands in front of his sink while Cooper rummages in the cabinet below. "Found it!" Cooper proclaims suddenly, standing back up. "My gift to you," he says, bowing as he presents Blaine with a still-in-the-package cartridge razor._

"_Joy," Blaine says dryly. There's a moment of blink-and-you'll-miss-it humor in his words, but Blaine's still on the defensive. _

"_Don't be a fun-sucker, Blaine," Cooper says. He's used to their little back-and-forth: it's natural for them. This is good. And that's what needs to happen now. Blaine's revealed his biggest secret to his brother and probably still feels uncomfortable. It's up to Cooper to make good on his words from last night. Nothing is changing between them._

"_Rinse your face off with hot water," instructs Cooper as he searches his travel kit for his can of shaving cream. "And get a decent layer of this on your face."_

_Blaine follows each of Cooper's steps quietly. Blaine's hands are mostly steady, faltering only for a moment when he nervously slides the razor across the delicate skin of his throat. _

"_You're lucky you're not all gross and pimply like I was," Cooper comments. "I cut myself up all the time."_

"_Or maybe I'm just naturally better at this than you," Blaine says quietly, an air of smugness coming from him. _

_Once Blaine's washed the leftover cream from his face, Cooper takes his brother's face into his hands once more and checks on his job._

"_Marvelous," he states, the phony accent a little over-the-top. He playfully swats Blaine's cheek. "You'll have all of the young men at your beck and call in no time." Cooper wants to punch himself for how corny he's just made this moment. But Blaine's wide eyes and small smile are enough to shut those thoughts down immediately. _

"Weird little hipster," Cooper states, rinsing his face off. "You'll be living in Williamsburg in no time." He surveys his job and nods with approval.

"Williamsburg's too mainstream-" Blaine starts.

"You've proved my point magnificently." Blaine stutters in his movements momentarily. He chuckles a little bit though as he begins to re-lather his face. "Again?"

Blaine resumes his shave, this time against the grain. "Yes. I actually like not looking like 'Teen Wolf' by four in the afternoon," he says. "And I mean Michael J. Fox 'Teen Wolf'."

Cooper turns his back to the mirror and watches his brother work. It's strange seeing Blaine like this. In the past ten years, Cooper's only ever seen him in sporadic, short bursts. He can't help but feel like he's missed a few things. Yes, they talk. Not as much as they used to, but still enough to keep each other updated.

"Hot date tonight?" Cooper asks.

"Yes, actually," Blaine says, matter-of-factly. He touches up his sideburns and decides his job is done.

"Does your boyfriend know?" Cooper laughs.

"Considering that he invited me out, I would hope so," Blaine says. Cooper crosses his arms and watches as Blaine begins to moisturize his face.

"You guys just went out last night."

Blaine considers this for a moment. It's never occurred to him that it's somehow strange to spend so much time with his boyfriend. "Careful, Coop," Blaine says slowly, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Someone might think you're jealous or something."

Jealous isn't exactly the word Cooper would use for how he's feeling. Well, that's a bit of a lie; he would have liked to spend the evening with his little brother, maybe catch a cheesy movie and play a few video games. But Blaine's happy. He's not the little ball of energy that he was before he was picked up to go to dinner last night (maybe he got laid), but he's relaxed tonight. He's even forgone his usual gel helmet in favor of lightly running some mousse through his curls.

And that's when it really hits Cooper. Blaine seems comfortable in his own skin. _Finally._ No matter what the situation over the past few years, Blaine just hadn't been himself: he was either constantly down or had plastered on that obnoxious prep-school persona that so easily got under Cooper's skin.

"I'd like to meet him."

Blaine tears his eyes away from his reflection and meets his brother's gaze. "You met him last night." It's not accusatory in nature, Blaine's just momentarily caught off-guard.

"We exchanged pleasantries and then you whisked him away," Cooper comments. They're locked in a momentary stalemate as Blaine considers his brother's words. Slowly, he starts nodding.

"_Thanks Cooper," Blaine says once his brother has let go of his face. Cooper knows that it's more than just 'Thanks for teaching me how to shave,' because really, anyone could figure it out. _

_Being the avid reader that he is, Cooper's read about 'looks of appreciation', but he's never actually seen one before. The look that Blaine's giving him right now is probably about the closest thing that he'll ever see to one of those though. Jesus, this kid really wears his heart on his sleeve, doesn't he?_

_About a half hour later, Blaine's friends are calling for him from the front yard. He leaps to his feet from the couch and grabs his jacket. Without a second thought he launches himself into Cooper's arms. It's a little awkward, with Cooper still fully seated and Blaine all but spread out on top of him, but they work the hug out._

"_I'm gonna tell them, you know," Blaine says softly. _

"_I know you will." The shouts from outside get a little more insistent._

"_Not today or anything," Blaine concedes. He stands to his feet, "but soon." _

"Alright," Blaine says finally, turning back to the mirror. "I'll invite him over sometime this week." Cooper finally stands up to his full height and considers his brother.

"Dapper as per the usual," he says, that phony accent leaking its way into his words. He steps to the door and catches Blaine's eye in the glass once more. "This was fun. We'll have to do it again some time." It's smarmy and accentuated by an over-the-top wink, but so incredibly genuine.

Blaine just shakes his head as his brother exits.

a/n: bit of a different style to this one I suppose. Does it work? Opinions are appreciated.

I'm not sure how far I want to take this little story. Ill probably keep it as a nice little hiatus project for now and see how it goes (and how grossly different canon will be from this). What im asking now is what y'all might want to get out of this? I have a few ideas up my sleeve, but im always into feedback and suggestions of vignettes to work on. Let me know.

Thanks for reading up to this point.


	4. Chapter 4

The first vacation the Andersons take as a family after Blaine is born happens the summer after Cooper turns fourteen. Cooper helps his father pack up the family car and they begin their road trip east.

The sand of the New England beach begin to wash away any and all animosity from the car trip over. It's times like these when the Anderson family feels just that: a family. No one is going to bring up the horrific traffic lest Mr. Anderson starts to silently grind his teeth again. Cooper won't think about how his mother spent the majority of the trip viciously berating her husband. Everyone is willing to forget about Cooper's hissy fit thrown on the interstate when the batteries in his CD player died and they couldn't stop for fresh ones.

Blaine had spent the majority of the car trip in quiet awe of his ever-expanding universe. Everyone once in a while, during the breaks in his parent's fighting, he would lean over to his brother and ask if Cooper could point out on Daddy's map where they were that day.

Cooper's sprawled out on a blanket immersed in his summer reading when Blaine first approaches him carrying a brand-new, plastic shovel and bucket. As quiet as his little brother is, Cooper knows that Blaine has a list of beach activities. Well, as much of a list as a four-year-old can come up with. The little boy is brimming with excitement, his wide eyes shining brightly. Would Cooper help him build a sand castle?

He considers it for a moment. It's only their second day here and there's no rush to get everything done today. Cooper promises that he'll help as soon as he's finished with the next couple of chapters. Blaine's only momentarily disappointed before he leaves Cooper to his reading.

Yes, he's reading, but Cooper still likes to keep an eye on Blaine. Blaine who is smarter than most kids his age and has already figured out that he'll need wet sand to build up his castle. Blaine who's first attempt at upturning his sand-filled bucket ends as a misshapen mound.

When another little boy, yet still older than Blaine, approaches him, Cooper watches his brother protectively from his place on the blanket. Their parents have left for a few hours to put together lunch, so Cooper is to keep an eye on Blaine: a job Cooper tends to take seriously. When the older boy settles down in the sand next to Blaine, a smile plastered on both of their faces, Cooper relaxes and turns his attention back to his book, only occasionally casting a glance over to his brother.

His brother that now sits in the sand by himself, the sand castle in stomped-on ruins. His brother that sits dejectedly in the rubble, not crying, but obviously on the verge.

Cooper's never gotten to his feet faster.

Blaine sniffles through his story. How the boy was teaching him the best way to mix the water and sand so that it would stick. How they started to disagree when they started to form the details of the castle. How the boy wanted to make Castle Grayskull because it was 'super awesome'. How when Blaine said he wanted it to be Cinderella's Castle the little boy stood up. How the little boy stomped on the half-finished castle, kicked sand at Blaine and walked away.

He may have sniffled, but Blaine never cried.

Cooper bit his lip and rubbed his little brother's tiny back.

"Do you maybe want to go in the water and get some of the sand off?" Cooper asks, voice cracking a little, hesitance evident. "And maybe we can build a sand castle? Together?"

Blaine perks up a bit at the thought. He nods, quietly following his older brother to his feet.

By the time Mr. and Mrs. Anderson return with lunch, Cooper is buried from his toes to his shoulders in the sand, little Blaine tracing patterns into his brother's sand-cover chest.

They don't build another castle that day. But on their last day at the beach, Cooper suggests they try again.

The picture of the two boys sitting with their creation is framed and still sits on the Anderson's mantelpiece.


End file.
